Great Barrier Reef endangered

Oil to burn, coral to die

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Feature story - 22 August, 2003

Australia, home of the Great Barrier Reef, is the last nation on Earth that you'd expect to be knowingly destroying coral habitats. But that's just what will happen if the state of Queensland approves an expansion in shale oil operations -- unless you help stop them.

Coral reefs around the world are suffering from climate change.
As the climate heats up so do the oceans, causing the organisms
that give coral its colour and food to die.

Climate change is mostly caused by burning fossil fuels such as
oil, coal and gas.

Studies show that without a significant reduction in fossil fuel
emissions coral reefs could disappear in less than 100 years.

An example of this problem is Australia's world famous Great
Barrier Reef, which lies off the state of Queensland. At around
2000 kilometres long it is the world's largest reef. But unless
projected levels of climate change are slowed, much of the reef
will be dead in decades.

Last year the reef experienced its worst ever case of coral
bleaching, with over 60 per cent being affected.

Now this threat is being highlighted by the proposed expansion
of Southern Pacific Petroleum's Stuart Shale Oil project near
Gladstone in Australia - just off the southern end of the reef.

Right now, the second stage of the project is waiting to be
accepted or rejected by the Queensland government.

The development of a shale oil industry would more than double
Australia's greenhouse emissions - increasing climate change. This
would spell disaster for the reef.

The government will make its decision within the next few
months.

Until then, you can help the Queensland government make up its
mind to reject the project.